On Writing a Letter

The other day, after an especially good phone call with someone whose friendship defies time, the notion of writing a letter to this person proved irresistible. But I waited several days, mulling over the intent, what to write, the right tone, all the things absent in this world of emails and texts. Writing a letter requires time, thought, patience, and a good pen. I wimped out and grabbed a Bic and my trusty legal pad, but that's not the point. Good stationery is fine, but the letter is the thing. And after writing a good warmup letter to my parents -- my mother loves getting letters -- it was time. And it was written before I realized I was signing my name.

So into the mailbox it went.

I just learned of its reception, satisfying to the other party, which is the aim of a letter, isn't it? As with all things these days, a mention on a social website elicited comments such as "I remember letter in a mailbox, they still do that, huh?" and "saving the envelope and keeping the letter, we should all try it" and "Oh good June, they can put it right next to the dinosaur display (at the Smithsonian)... I can't wait to see."

I used to write lots of letters to lots of people all the time. Then came the 21st Century. I've decided that phenomenon isn't a good enough reason to stop writing letters.

But finding a stamp could prove problematic, given time.